Village Shepherd

Winston was determined to win the race. It was partly because he wanted to be a fast runner, and partly because with a name like Winston you felt you ought to win something. Winston had never won anything in his life, but he thought he might have the chance in the school sports. Every day after school for months, he practised running. And after that, he did some weight lifting and circuit training, just to make sure he was in the peak of fitness.

And then he prayed. Every night before he went to sleep he closed his eyes and said, "Please God, make me win the race."

When the great day came, everyone set off. To start with, most of them were faster than Winston despite his training. But after a while, the practice began to pay off and Winston slowly crept into the lead.

He was almost at the finishing line when he suddenly tripped and fell. There was an agonising pain in his leg and he screamed. Someone came running over to see what had happened, and almost before he could blink Winston found himself in hospital.

His leg was x-rayed and found to be broken. The doctor said it would have to go into a plaster cast, and Winston could choose the colour. Winston chose bright yellow. They allowed him to go home that same day, and although he was immensely proud of his plaster cast, Winston was deeply disappointed about the race.

"I shall never pray again," he thought to himself. "God is supposed to be a good shepherd and I am one of his little lambs, but he doesn't care about me. He didn't let me win the race, even though I asked and asked and asked, and he even made me fall over and break my leg."

It was many months before Winston could run again. When his leg came out of plaster, his knee was very stiff and his leg was very thin. The physiotherapist said his muscles had wasted, and needed to be built up again. But she didn't tell him how painful that would be.

There were many times that Winston wanted to give up on his exercises. It hurt so much to try and bend his knee, and he really thought his leg would never be like the other one however much he worked on it. Sometimes he didn't know how he kept going at all. But he gritted his teeth and soldiered on, and eventually he began to walk without his crutches.

When he was walking almost normally again, the physiotherapist said he didn't need her any more and his exercises stopped. And although Winston began to run, he couldn't run very well. Then he remembered the training he had done for the race, and thought he'd try it again.

He started to run again in the evenings, very slowly at first and not very far, but his stamina built up until he could run a mile relatively easily. He worked on his fitness too, and found he was enjoying all his physical exertion.

When sports day came round again the next year, Winston entered the race again. He didn't win, but he came a creditable third, and knew that if he went on working he would win eventually.

But the biggest surprise was when the prizes were given out. For to his astonishment, Winston heard his name called.

"You've won the best race of all, Winston," said the head teacher as he handed out the prizes. "We've all watched you struggle and endure, but you never gave up. You've won a race against yourself, and along the way you've learned to be strong and brave and courageous. You will have that strength and courage now for the rest of your life, and this cup is to commemorate your courage."

It was the biggest thrill of Winston's life. When he got home, he went to his bedroom and knelt down beside his bed and closed his eyes. "Thank you, God," he whispered quietly.